To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

JKM>," a •-'-
The It Freedom Daamocratic Party is a peoplers organization.
It is not a civil rights organization. It represents the
organized political efforts of local people. Ibtoamxfct
ima; Its constituency is local people. It must have
a structure which organizes and represents local people
Its leadership must be made up of local people oriented
to their grass roots constituency. Its leadership must
understand that it hold its authority as a delegation
from the people and that it is responsible at all times \
for all its decision to its people. It can not be
a leadership which makes deals, whi/h reaches agreements
which compromise the Interests of its constitunency for
its own advantage.
The Freedom Democratic Party need not be a statewide party.
Its base must be the precinctj v/here it culminates should
depend on the conditions of %ich region where it is developed.
It can culminate, as in Mississippi, in a statexd.de structure;
but it alao can constituted for a congressional district
or even a state senate or assenbjry district. The idea
ia that it represent the political aspirations of a given
area, of local people. It must eventually be as broad
in its local base and as strong and independent in its
decision-making as possible.
The Freedom Democratic PaJbty Idea las the advantage that
&K2Gt it can not be co fused with any kxk national civil
rights organization. knMXXkxMM&STMr^txsMMXsmicxbm &BK
Its image comes across clearly as the political organization
of local people. This is Important because what we are
working for- its to hs. build hxs^i^dc^^xmkxMsat:'-^r^Km±xsM±]sxs.
m±:^±M.cix±ximm^&^isMM^mMix^xka: broadly based community •
organizations which are independent in their decision-makingf
a3SgaK±23^±HH and that ultf mitely means independent of every
Exxixk civil rights organization, including SMCC. Its
decision making and leadership must 3re reside mmiM entirely
in the hands of local people and arise out of the needs
of the local situation. This is the only way we can get
ctac any democracy in this country.
liastKaxx X Mississippi the Fi1 minim Democratic Party proved
a better stru-autre than COFO far building local political
organisation. While COFO was intendend to provide a structure
for local people it has bean too closely identified alth
xfEg£S|| professional civil rightist;! to become such, Nevertheless
local political, organization does not alway have to come
under the fwmmd&m Democratic rarty rhubric. In the 4th
district of Virginia, a local grass roots political organization
has been formed. It has a structure, but it Is called
nothing more than "the Foarth Congressional District
Voter Registration Committee," The :ey idea is that
it Is run by local people whose first interests and
loyalities are to the needs of the people of the fourth
congressional district*

Mendy Samstein was a civil rights worker who drafted many SNCC documents. In this folder are a variety of materials that discuss 1963 plans and objectives for Freedom Summer, including whether it was advisable to bring white college students into Mississippi for the summer. Other documents are a typewritten draft of a document about the MFDP, emphasizing its need for local leadership, and comparing its political effectiveness to COFO's; detailed notes from an undated (1965?) COFO meeting in which COFO's future organizational structure and plans were discussed; reports on beatings and appeals for federal protection for civil rights workers; an emotional description of and a SNCC press release on yet another bombing in McComb; a draft for a speech probably given by Aaron Henry (?); and a number of documents from 1966 about tenants' rights in Atlanta, Georgia.

Copyright to these documents belongs to the individuals who created them or the organizations for which they worked. The principal organizations have been defunct for many years and copyright to their unpublished records is uncertain. We share them here strictly for non-profit educational purposes. We have attempted to contact individuals who created personal papers of significant length or importance. Nearly all have generously permitted us to include their work. If you believe that you possess copyright to material included here, please contact us at asklibrary@wisconsinhistory.org. Under the fair use provisions of the U.S. copyright law, teachers and students are free to reproduce any document for nonprofit classroom use. Commercial use of copyright-protected material is generally prohibited.

JKM>" a •-'-
The It Freedom Daamocratic Party is a peoplers organization.
It is not a civil rights organization. It represents the
organized political efforts of local people. Ibtoamxfct
ima; Its constituency is local people. It must have
a structure which organizes and represents local people
Its leadership must be made up of local people oriented
to their grass roots constituency. Its leadership must
understand that it hold its authority as a delegation
from the people and that it is responsible at all times \
for all its decision to its people. It can not be
a leadership which makes deals, whi/h reaches agreements
which compromise the Interests of its constitunency for
its own advantage.
The Freedom Democratic Party need not be a statewide party.
Its base must be the precinctj v/here it culminates should
depend on the conditions of %ich region where it is developed.
It can culminate, as in Mississippi, in a statexd.de structure;
but it alao can constituted for a congressional district
or even a state senate or assenbjry district. The idea
ia that it represent the political aspirations of a given
area, of local people. It must eventually be as broad
in its local base and as strong and independent in its
decision-making as possible.
The Freedom Democratic PaJbty Idea las the advantage that
&K2Gt it can not be co fused with any kxk national civil
rights organization. knMXXkxMM&STMr^txsMMXsmicxbm &BK
Its image comes across clearly as the political organization
of local people. This is Important because what we are
working for- its to hs. build hxs^i^dc^^xmkxMsat:'-^r^Km±xsM±]sxs.
m±:^±M.cix±ximm^&^isMM^mMix^xka: broadly based community •
organizations which are independent in their decision-makingf
a3SgaK±23^±HH and that ultf mitely means independent of every
Exxixk civil rights organization, including SMCC. Its
decision making and leadership must 3re reside mmiM entirely
in the hands of local people and arise out of the needs
of the local situation. This is the only way we can get
ctac any democracy in this country.
liastKaxx X Mississippi the Fi1 minim Democratic Party proved
a better stru-autre than COFO far building local political
organisation. While COFO was intendend to provide a structure
for local people it has bean too closely identified alth
xfEg£S|| professional civil rightist;! to become such, Nevertheless
local political, organization does not alway have to come
under the fwmmd&m Democratic rarty rhubric. In the 4th
district of Virginia, a local grass roots political organization
has been formed. It has a structure, but it Is called
nothing more than "the Foarth Congressional District
Voter Registration Committee" The :ey idea is that
it Is run by local people whose first interests and
loyalities are to the needs of the people of the fourth
congressional district*

Language

English

Source

Mendy Samstein papers, 1963-1966; Archives Main Stacks, SC3093;

Publisher-Electronic

Wisconsin Historical Society

Publication Date-Electronic

2013

Rights

Copyright to these documents belongs to the individuals who created them or the organizations for which they worked. The principal organizations have been defunct for many years and copyright to their unpublished records is uncertain. We share them here strictly for non-profit educational purposes. We have attempted to contact individuals who created personal papers of significant length or importance. Nearly all have generously permitted us to include their work. If you believe that you possess copyright to material included here, please contact us at asklibrary@wisconsinhistory.org. Under the fair use provisions of the U.S. copyright law, teachers and students are free to reproduce any document for nonprofit classroom use. Commercial use of copyright-protected material is generally prohibited.